In October 2019, Bonnie S. Cordon, who was serving as Young Women General President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, introduced a revised version of the Young Women theme. Here are the former version and the updated version side by side:
| 2009 version | 2019 version |
|---|---|
| We are daughters of our Heavenly Father, who loves us, and we love Him. We will “stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places” (Mosiah 18:9) as we strive to live the Young Women values, which are: Faith, Divine Nature, Individual Worth, Knowledge, Choice and Accountability, Good Works, Integrity, and Virtue. We believe as we come to accept and act upon these values, we will be prepared to strengthen home and family, make and keep sacred covenants, receive the ordinances of the temple, and enjoy the blessings of exaltation. | I am a beloved daughter of heavenly parents, with a divine nature and eternal destiny. As a disciple of Jesus Christ, I strive to become like Him. I seek and act upon personal revelation and minister to others in His holy name. I will stand as a witness of God at all times and in all things and in all places. As I strive to qualify for exaltation, I cherish the gift of repentance and seek to improve each day. With faith, I will strengthen my home and family, make and keep sacred covenants, and receive the ordinances and blessings of the holy temple. |
One of the significant changes is that the new theme speaks of “strengthening home and family” in the present tense, not just as something that young women are preparing to do in the future. The implication is that daughters and sisters can contribute meaningfully to family success just as parents can.
In a footnote to President Cordon’s talk, that phrase is linked to Joshua 24:15, which says, “Choose you this day whom ye will serve; … but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua was the leader of the Israelites and presumably a father and a grandfather. He may have felt empowered to speak on behalf of the family because of his role. But Sister Cordon’s reference to that scripture suggests that all family members can think of their contributions to the family in similarly proactive terms.
Nephi, for example, received revelation and taught his brothers. He led the family in building a ship which carried them to the promised land (1 Nephi 17; 18). Their father urged the brothers to “hearken unto him” (2 Nephi 1:28).
Like Lehi, Alma urged a son to learn from his siblings. Speaking to Corianton, he said:
Counsel with your elder brothers in your undertakings; for behold, thou art in thy youth, and ye stand in need to be nourished by your brothers. And give heed to their counsel.
Alma 39:10
And during the Savior’s ministry in the Americas, He taught the children, “and he did loose their tongues, and they did speak unto their fathers great and marvelous things, even greater than he had revealed unto the people” (3 Nephi 26:14).
No matter our age or our role in the family, we can strengthen one another by praying for each other, teaching and testifying to one another, loving and serving each other, and speaking kindly to and about other family members.
Today I will strengthen my home and family. Like Joshua, I will recommit not only to serve God myself but to bring family members closer to God.
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